A Jaded Valentine
by Azkadellio
Summary: One-shot for Valentine's Day. Jade has never liked Valentine's Day, but this one goes fromn being the worst, to the best. Takes place shortly after the ending of the series. Mentions of Bade, but Jori endgame.


"Good morning, class! I hope you all have some lovely Valentine's Day plans?" Sikowitz says, entering the classroom and tossing his bag on the stage, taking a seat on the small steps.

"There's a day named after me? YAY!" Cat says, as Sikowitz takes his seat.

"Valentine's Day's for loveless losers to pretend they know what love is. Card, flower, and candy companies use today to sell their crappy stuff. It's nothing to celebrate." I say in a bored tone, but a hint of pain as well. What no one knows is my boyfriend, or ex I should say, broke up with me this morning, so I'm a little angry about love. Okay, 'little' and 'angry' are understatement.

"Can't you say one nice thing about something, Jade?" I glance over at Vega as she speaks, sending her a glare that surprisingly doesn't affect her. "You're too mean about everything. Someone needs to let you know."

"Okay, let's have some fun." Sikowitz says, interrupting what I was about to say to Vega. I guess he knew my intention because he sounds scared a little at the look that's not even aimed at him. Good, someone needs to fear me. "I want each of you to come up to the stage and tell us your interpretation of what today is about. André, you first."

I watch as André walked onto the stage, telling us that he thinks it's a day to show our loved ones how much we love them. I scoffed at this. Cat was called up next, saying basically the same thing, but much more loud and enthusiastic. Robbie is called next saying that today is a day to let everyone you know how much you mean to them, looking at Cat the entire time, who, of course, doesn't notice. Vega's up next, who seems a little apprehensive about it.

"Well, I kind of agree with the others, but also Jade." Everyone has a stunned look on their faces at her words, including me. Why would Vega agree with me on something like this? "This day has been turned into a day for people to tell the people thy love how much they love them. Why not do it any other day? Love shouldn't have to be saved to be known on one day a year." She walks to her chair and sits, avoiding everyone's eyes.

"Okay, we already know Jade's opinion, so no need for that. Where's Beck? It's not like him to miss school."

Everyone but me and Vega look around at Sikowtiz's discovery. I feel everyone's eyes on me a few moments of searching later. I try to ignore them, but it doesn't last long.

"How would I know!?" I yell, causing everyone to jump back slightly.

"Well, he IS your boyfriend again." André says, looking away from me when I send him a glare.

"Was. He was my boyfriend. He broke up with me before school. Happy?" I say, trying to sound like it didn't bother me that he broke up with me three months after we got back together again.

"Do you know why?" I look over at Cat, cracking a small smile at how sad she looks and sounds when we lock eyes.

"He didn't say. He just said 'we don't fit. Us getting together again was a mistake.' Then he walked to his truck and left." I say in a small whisper. I avoid everyone's eyes at the admittance. I hear Cat say 'I'm sorry' in a quiet voice, and see André shaking his head in disbelief from the corner of my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jade. Is there anything we can do to help?" I look over at Robbie and see that he looks sympathetic. I shifts his weight slightly and moves a little closer to Cat, earning another slight smile from me.

"Can we just not talk about it? Let's just do whatever weird assignment you have for us, Sikowtiz." I say in my usual tone, and everyone still looks at me. I look around and I see that Vega isn't though, which surprises me. Any other time, she'd have something to say, but she's quiet and seems to be avoiding everyone's gaze, not just mine.

"Okay. Well, first..." I tune out quickly, only hearing Sikowitz tell us some story about something he did when he was younger. The rest of the class goes by quickly, the morning just as quick. Soon enough, I'm sitting at our usual table, with Cat to my left, Robbie beside her, and André across from me. Half way through lunch, I realize something.

"Where's Vega?" I ask, curious about her whereabouts.

"She said she wasn't feeling too well, and went home." André says with his usual voice when he's talking about a friend in trouble.

"Are you two a thing?" I ask, not really knowing where it came from.

"No. We're just friends. Why do you ask or care?" André answers.

"You two have been awfully close over the last few months. The only time I think you guys haven't been close, other than before she joined Hollywood Arts was when you stayed with her and her family and got mad at each other. Even then, it only lasted a few days." I say, locking eyes with him, an accusatory tone to my voice.

"Just friends. You didn't answer the other part of my question. Why do you care?" He says simply. Robbie and Cat sit in silence, watching us.

"I don't care." I say. "Besides, if you spend so much time together, it's understandable that people would think you two are dating."

"Look, there's a secret about her that no one knows. She told me, but her own family doesn't know yet. She doesn't want anyone else to know yet." I watch as his shifts in his seat slightly, wondering what the big deal is. "So, I know you probably don't want to answer this, but how you dealing so far?" He says, watching me.

"You're right, I don't want to answer that." I say, ignoring the look he sends me. "Since no one will be home after school, I think we should hang out at my house. We haven't hung out in a while." I say looking at Cat and Robbie, looking at André so he knows he's included. "Call Vega and invite her, André. Tell her that if she doesn't show, we're not friends." I say with a threatening tone.

"Wow, Jade. You're gonna threaten her to show up? You haven't realized something different, lately, have you?" André says in a protective tone. "When was the last time she tried to hang out with you, talk with you? Even sit by us in lunch?"

"She said she was busy and I didn't care. Vega and I are kind of friends. You're her best friend. I leave the caring to you." I say, dismissing his looks.

"Trust me, Jade. She won't come over. She gave up trying to be your friend. Since you two were on that weird Mexican show with Trina, she kept her distance. She thinks you hate her, no matter how much you go to her for help or something, and she's done." André says with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Really?" Cat says in a low tone, sadness in her voice. "That's why she won't sit with us anymore?" I feel guilty, knowing that inadvertently, I'm the reason Cat's on the verge of tears right now. Seeing Cat hurt this much breaks me. She's my best friend for a reason.

"What do you expect me to do?" I ask him after a moment. "It's a little late now, don't you think? And what, was that her big secret?"

"Shut up, Jade." The three of us stare at André, not believing he just said that to me. "If it wasn't for her, you and Beck wouldn't have gotten back together either time. She helped you fund your play. Everything she's done, and you act like she doesn't matter. Fine, continue thinking that way. I gotta go. See you later Cat, Robbie." We watch as he gets up and throws his food away.

"That was mean, Jadey." I look over at Cat who looks like she's about to cry again. I don't know if it's remnants from before, or if it's from just now, but it hurts me just as much. "You should talk to Tori later." She says. sounding serious, even with tears in her eyes.

I don't say anything, I just get up and throw my food away. Instead of heading inside, I head to my car, waving bye to Cat as I do.

The ride to the Vega house is short, which surprises me with it being lunch time. You'd think the lunch traffic would be worse, but it's almost non-existant.

I pull into the driveway, seeing a familiar truck in the driveway. I step out cautiously and head to the door, knocking when I get there.

"Hello? Oh, never mind." I stare at the door in silent confusion. Did Vega just slam the door on me? What the chiz? I knock again, but no answer this time. I finally give up playing nice, even though it wasn't long, and pound on the door, yelling for her to open the door. "Go away, West! Now!"

"No, Vega. We need to talk. Let me in." I say, trying to sound calm.

"Ten minutes. That's it." She says as she opens the door and stepping to the side slightly to let me in. "What do you want?"She says, taking a seat far away from me.

"Why do you think I hate you?"

"What reason have you given me to think you don't? You've made it clear since day one that you hate me."

"Who you talking to Tori?" I turn around, seeing my ex-boyfriend walking out of the downstairs bathroom. "Why are you here?" He says to me, looking worried.

"I came to talk to Vega. Why are you here?"

"I wanted to ask her something." He says with his usual calm voice.

"Ask her what?" I say, clenching my teeth.

"He asked me out." Vega says before Beck can answer.

"What!?" I yell. "You break up with me ten minutes before school starts today, and you turn around and ask out Vega?!"

"Yeah, I did. It's not like you actually care anyway. I was just an accessory to you. You never cared about me." I sit in a stunned silence at his words. "Admit it."

"Of course, I care about you. What makes you think that?"

"You always fought with me! No matter what, it was an argument. I was sick of it, so I ended it. Tori's a nice girl who won't cause problems because she's jealous!"

"So you broke up with me!? You never tried to talk, Beck! All you did was ignore everything! I yelled because it's like you wanted the attention of every grunch in L.A., and I hated it!"

"Stop it! Both of you!" We both stare at Vega, both of us forgetting she was there. "Enough. Even when you two aren't together, you fight. Beck, you should leave. It's pathetic on your part to break up with someone you say you 'missed', and then turn around and ask out another girl a few hours later. To answer your question, no, I will not go out with you. Please leave." I smirk as I watch him head out the door, his head hanging slightly as he goes. "And you." I turn, shocked at the malice in her voice. "You treat me like crap since I came to Hollywood Arts. You poured coffee on my head, tried to kill me with bush daisies. Stole my blood. Yeah, I knew it was you all along." She says when she sees the shocked look on my face at the last one. "After all of that and then some, you come here to what? Apologize? No. Screw you, West. And don't worry. You won't have to worry about me getting in your way anymore. I'm transferring back to my old high school, and then after graduation, I'm moving. They're your friends again, just like you always wanted."

She watches me as I sit in silence, processing her words. "You're leaving? What about cat and André? Do your parents know?"

"Yep. André already knows, and Cat will be fine. It's not like you actually care. Didn't you call her a 'pet' before?"

"Vega, what happened? You were fine yesterday. What changed that..."

"Shut up. You don't care. You never care about anyone but you. Get out of my house West. You never wanted to be my friend, so I'm giving you what you want. Leave, now." I stand up, heading to the door after grabbing my stuff. I stop at the door, turning around. I'm about to invite her over to me house, but she interrupts me before I begin. "André already told me about you wanting to hang out after school. No. Like I said, I'm done." She walks over and opens the door, pushing me out and slamming it shut behind me.

I start to walk to my car, but I stop when I hear crying from behind the door. I don't know why, but hearing her cry hurts me. I go to knock on the door again, but I know she won't open it, so I head to my car to head home. As I pull away, I get a text. I check it and see it's from André.

_-Thanks for making my friend leave, gank.- Andre H._

I stare at my phone. After a few minutes, I put my phone in my pocket and head home. Just like I thought, the house is empty. My father is constantly on business trips, staying away from his trouble making daughter, as he calls me, no less.

A few hours later, Cat shows up. She knocks loud enough for me to hear her, and I head to the front door and let her in. She steps in, avoiding my gaze.

"Tori texted me. She said she's transferring schools." I watch her as she sits down, tears about to fall from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kitty." I say as I take a seat beside her, which she automatically gets up and moves farther away from me. "I tried to apologize, make things right. Or attempt to, anyway, but she wouldn't hear me out."

"Why were you always so mean to her, even after everything she's done for you and didn't ask for anything in return?"

"I was jealous of her. At first it was because I thought she wanted Beck, but when everyone went to her for everything, I felt threatened. So I got angry."

"Try to talk to her again. I don't want her to leave." Cat says, openly crying now, not attempting to hold back her tears.

"She won't let me, cat. I tried and she dismissed me before I had the chance. I'll miss her too, to be honest."

"I'll go with you. Please, try again, Jadey." I watch as she gets up and walks over to me, begging me to try again with her tear-stained eyes.

"Okay, I'll try. Would you like to come with me?" I say with a hint of pleading to my tone.

"Sorry, I can't. It's between you two." She says in an unusual serious tone.

"Okay. I'm gonna go try again. You gonna head home?"

"Yeah. Thank you, Jadey." I smile as she gives me a tight hug. I usually don't like them, but she needs me to do this, so the hug passes without complaint. I head out with her, watching her as she climbs into her care and pulls out, waving as she does. I get into my car soon after she leaves, heading straight to the Vega residence again. When I get there, there are no cars in the parking lot, so I hope she's home. Like last time, I pull into the driveway and head to her door, knocking and waiting.

A few minutes later, the door opens, revealing a crying Vega, who just steps to the side to let me in, closing the door silently as I take a seat.

"What do you want this time, West?" She says in a bored tone.

"Please don't leave Hollywood Arts. You're leaving behind people that care about you. Don't do this to us." I say pleadingly, desperate for her to stay, even though I don't know why.

"Us?" I flinch slightly at her words, not realizing I said it. "You make it sound like you actually care about me." I hear the venom in her voice, but I also hear the pain, which fills me with regret.

"I know I act like I hate you, but I don't. Honestly, if I hated you, I wouldn't have tried to help you when Ryder tried to use you. I wouldn't have cheered you on when you became Hambone Queen. I do trust you, but I'm afraid."

"Afraid. You expect me to believe that you, Jade West, are afraid of me, Tori Vega? What reason do you have for that?" She says in disbelief.

"I'm afraid you'll hurt me." I say in a low voice, turning my head away from her.

"How would I hurt you, Jade? You hurt me, remember?" she says with a condescending tone.

"It's because of that, that I'm afraid. How have you not gotten revenge on me yet? I've made your life hell and you've done nothing. Why?" I'm on the verge of tears now. I don't know why, but lately, Vega has this power over me.

"It's because I lo-. Never mind. It's not worth telling. Please leave, Jade. I'm done talking."

"Vega, wait. I don't know why, but I hate seeing you in pain. Please, talk to me." I'm pleading at this point, again, for reasons unknown to me. I see her freeze momentarily, looking at me with tears in her eyes. "Please."

"I'm sorry, Jade. Please leave. I don't feel like talking anymore."

I watch as she walks over to the door and opens it, her eyes aimed at the hardwood floor.

"Ok. I'm inviting everyone for a dinner hang out at my house tonight. You should come. Please." I say as I walk towards the door, stopping at the frame to look at her. "Please?"

"I'll think about it." I smile at her barely audible response. "What time?"

"6:30. I hope you show up." I give her a small smile as I leave, heading towards my car. I turn around, hoping to see her still standing at the door, but the door was closed silently. I give the door a sad smile as I climb into my car and head home.

I text Cat and the others, inviting them over. No one responds back, but I hope they decide to. I sit and think after I send the texts, wondering why I seem to care so much for Vega so suddenly. Or why she didn't throw me out. Or even what she was about to say earlier during her small anger rant. She caught herself, but I don't know what the big deal is. André said she has some huge secret, but what, I don't know. She's not really one for secrets, from what I know.

_-Robbie and I will be there, and André said he might show up. Did you talk to Tori?- Vat V._

_I look at the text, a slight smile on my face._

_-Yeah. I invited her, and she told me she'll think about it. When are you planning on being here?- Jade W._

_-Before 6. I have something to tell you when I get there.- Cat V._

_-Okay. See ya later Kitty.- Jade W._

There are no more texts after that. I check the time, surprised that it's almost 5:30 already. I walk to the kitchen and put a couple of DiGiorno pepperoni pizzas into the stove, to give us something to eat later. As I take the pizzas out of the oven, there's a knock at the door, followed by a young female voice saying "We're here!", and I recognize it easily. I smile and tell Cat to come in and sit, food will be out in a moment. Soon after, I walk out with one of the pizza's cut and some plates. I set everything down, surprised to see Tori and André here. I thought they'd stay away, to be honest.

"I'll be back. I'm gonna grab the other pizza. Who wants what to drink?" I don't focus on Tori as I speak, afraid of her reaction. I see André sticking close to her, which makes me think that they are a couple because of how well they seem to react to each other. For some reason, I don't like it thought.

Robbie and Cat answer with water, and I'm a little curious as to why they're sitting so close to each other. André and Tori don't really answer, so I decide to grab water for them as well. I head into the kitchen, cutting the other pizza and grabbing five water bottles from the fridge, grabbing the pizza carefully on my way back to the living room.

I set everything down and notice that the only available seat, besides sitting on the floor, is by Vega. I see her and André having an argument, and André looks like he's trying to console her or something, versus her looking highly upset. I hand everyone a water and grab a slice of pizza for myself, seeing as how everyone grabbed one themselves while I was gone.

"So, what are the plans for tonight?" Robbie asks as I carefully take the seat beside Vega, who stops the argument with André as I do.

"We could play cards?" I say, but everyone else shakes their heads no.

"We play that a lot. We need a new game." Cat says, taking a sip of her water.

"How about Two Truths and a Lie?" I'm surprised at Vega for asking. It doesn't seem like a game she'd play.

"What's that? I've never heard of that game." Robbie says, looking at the others for clarification.

"It's where each person tells the others three things. One of them is a complete lie, and the other two are true. Kinda self explanatory Rob." André says to our curly-haired friend.

"Oh. Ok. Who's gonna start?" Robbie says.

"I will." I'm surprised again at Vega's decision to start. "One: I write some songs on occasion. Two: I'm a lesbian. And three: I'm allergic to bush daisies."

"The second one's a lie." I say automatically. I know she's allergic to bush daisies, clearly. And her writing her own songs is believable. But I don't believe miss priss Tori Vega would be into girls.

"I agree with Jade." "Me too." Robbie and Cat say, but Cat seems not too sure.

"The first one's the lie." We all look at André, who sounds so sure. I look at Vega who won't look at us, but sends André a glare before she answers.

"André's right. I can't write my own songs yet. Only the lyrics." She says, hiding her face. Everyone except Andre look at her in disbelief.

"You're into girls?" Robbie asks after a few minutes of silence. "Wow, I'm glad I sold Rex after that whole 'yes challenge' of Sikowitz's." He adds in with a small laugh of embarrassment.

"How long?" I ask after Robbie's embarrassment fades.

"Since before I came to Hollywood Arts. I've never been interested in guys." She says, gaining a hint of confidence as she speaks.

"You could've mentioned it before?" I say, looking at her. "All this time, I thought you were after Beck or something. Wait, what about Ryder, Steven, and Danny? You dated them." I ask after a moment of thought.

"Danny was because I tried to be straight. I boke up with him because I couldn't do it. Steven too. Ryder was because I thought he was gay and I needed a beard."

"Wait." I say with a laugh. "You thought Ryder was gay? Awesome. How did you think he ws gay?"

"He seemed gay to me. I thought he knew I was too, but he was just am idiot." She says with a laugh of her own.

"Well, Vega. I'm sorry I put you through hell for thinking you wanted Beck." I say after all of us stop laughing. "So, who's next?"

The game goes on for a while, finding out that Robbie sold Rex because he was tired of the insults, Cat has had a crush on Robbie for a couple of months before the Cow Wow. André has had a crush on Tori, Cat and me for a while. He liked Tori until he found out she was a lesbian, Cat until he saw how she liked Robbie, and me when Beck and I were still dating, when he did the song '365 Day's'. We all got a laugh when I joked that he thought I was a dog.

"So, Jade. You're turn." Tori says, back to her usual self. "We all went. Now you." She says, slightly taunting.

"Okay, fine. One, I wrote 'Well Wishes' out of boredom. Two, my tattoo's fake. And three, I'm bisexual. Any guesses?"

"The third one's fake." "Three." "Three." "Two." Robbie, André, Cat, and Tori say in order. I look at each of them, smiling at Tori when I get to her.

"Why do you all think that your answers are right?" I ask them.

The each answer differently. Cat says she thinks my tattoo is drawn on and it's believable that I would write out of boredom. Robbie says he just can't believe I'd be bi. André says it'd be too coincidental if two of his female friends were into women. Tori doesn't answer.

"Well, Vega. Why do you think my tattoo isn't drawn on?" I ask.

"Because I know you wrote 'Well Wishes' because you were bored. You told me so when your dad left after the play. You wouldn't get a fake tattoo. It's not you." She answers matter-of-factly.

"And me being bisexual is believable." I state, watching her. I see André beside her smile, a knowing look on his face. I glance over at Robbie and Cat and see them looking uncomfortably at each of us.

"I think so." André says, surprising us. "Thinking back, there was a lot of tension between you two. As much as you 'hated' her Jade, you trusted her enough to ask for her help when you and Beck first broke up. You two might have been destined for each other. I don't usually believe in stuff like that, but you two seem to make it true." He says simply.

"Kiss her!" Cat yells happily to Tori and me, causing everyone to jump.

"I don't know, Cat. Are you sure it would be a good idea?" Robbie chimes in, trying to be reasonable.

"I have an idea. Don't hate me Tori, but I think it'll help." Tori and me watch André carefully at his words. "I think Cat's right. Kiss."

"You do know your idea is agreeing with Cat, right?" I ask, looking at him.

"You know as well as I do, Jade. She can be right a bit more than we believe." He answers as Cat and Robbie argue over her idea, not hearing us.

"He's got a point." I say to no one but me. "If she's up for it, sure." I say with a shrug.

"Trust me, she's not against it." André says with a smile.

"ANDRE!" Tori yells at his comment, making me laugh.

"I'm game." I say quickly, stopping her from glaring at André and looking at me. Before she can protest, I lean over and kiss her roughly, getting Cat and Robbie to stop arguing.

The kiss is quick, only a few seconds.

"Well?" I ask, looking at Tori worriedly. "Tori?"

"You broke Tori!" Cat yells in worry as well, making Tori snap back.

"You kissed me." She says, stunned. "Why?"

"I wanted to. Why did you say she wouldn't be against it?" I say, shifting from Tori to André.

"The secret she told me, after saying she was a lesbian, was that she liked you since she met you." He says simply, causing Tori to elbow him.

"Well, well. So that's why you tried to be my friend so much." I state. "Is that why you kept looking at me when we were stuck in Beck's R.V. the year you joined?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"Maybe." She says quickly, hiding her face.

"Good." I lean over and give her another kiss, longer than the last time, before she can say anything. "André, Robbie, Cat. I need to talk to Tori alone. I'll talk to you guys at school tomorrow."

I don't let them argue, forcing Robbie and André out with a glare. I watch Cat follow them willingly. Tori just looks at my, wondering what I'm planning. They guys leave quickly, André giving Tori a worrisome look, which she waves off. Cat skips behind them, not noticing the look.

"I'll see you two later?" André says as he heads out.

"Yeah, André." Tori says calmly.

We watch as the head out, closing the door behind them. After a moment, I speak up.

"So, want to give this a shot?" I ask nonchalantly.

"Sure." She says as she leans over and kisses me.

This escalated quickly, but I like it.

For once, I actually like Valentine's Day. Go figure.

**Just something random I saw on Tuesday. I say two young women putting a pony in the back of a car outside of the local PetCo. That is all.**

**It's the longest one-shot I've ever written, and I apologize for the length. I originally was going to post this tomorrow, but I finished it earlier than I thought, so I posted it early.**

**Thank you for reading, and I look forward to reviews.**


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